Reiterating its demand for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Manipur, the Congress party, said on Tuesday that this is the very least he could do to show his concern, if he has any, for the strife-torn state.

It may be mentioned here that the ethnic clashes that erupted in the state of Manipur on May 3, 2023 have since continued unabated. Scores of people have lost their lives while thousands have been forced to take refuge in relief camps.

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Congress has been attacking the prime minister for not visiting the state to assuage the pain of the embattled people there.

Taking a jibe at the prime minister on the Statehood Day of Manipur, Congress general secretary in-charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh said, “The formerly non-biological – and now suddenly human – prime minister has just sent greetings to the people of Manipur on their Statehood Day through social media. Yet, he has stubbornly refused to visit Manipur even briefly ever since its agony began on May 3, 2023.”

The Congress MP said Modi has travelled all over the world but couldn’t find time nor does he have the inclination to reach out to the people of the state in Imphal and other places. “Modi has stubbornly refused to meet MLAs of his own party in the state. He has not had a one-on-one meeting with the Chief Minister, nor has he met with MPs, political leaders, and civil society organisations of the state. His Statehood Day greetings are hollow and reflect his hypocrisy – which knows no limits,” he wrote on X.

Ramesh , who has been criticising Modi over the Manipur issue, said, “Congress demands that he visit Manipur immediately. This is the very least he can do to show his concern if he has any. Outsourcing Manipur to the Union Home Minister is an abdication of Prime Ministerial responsibility and has proved disastrous.”